cotillon

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cotillon (Fr. ‘under-petticoat’). Elaborate ballroom dance popular in 19th cent. as final dance of the evening. It was a type of country dance, perf. by any no., all imitating the leading couple, who chose their figures out of a large number available. The mus. was simply that of various waltzes, mazurkas, etc. In earlier centuries was akin to quadrille.